


Virtual Reality

by reeology



Category: Final Fantasy XIII-2
Genre: I'm Sorry, M/M, Unrequited Love, hope makes a virtual boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-26
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-19 18:00:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3619119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reeology/pseuds/reeology
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>According to a Brain Blast Quiz, the game 'Holostation' has led to a declining birthrate in Academia. Why? You can make a virtual boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Virtual Reality

**Author's Note:**

> Dug this up from my e-mail somewhere, written around 2013.

Hope has a type. This type is strong, dedicated, and blue-eyed. It maybe stemmed from a teenage crush on Lightning, but as he's grown older he's realized that he doesn't really have more than a passing interest in the opposite sex.

Hope wasn't thinking of this type when he first met Noel. But one look at his blue eyes and the dual swords strapped to his back and Hope was a goner. Pushing Alyssa off his arm was suddenly the most important task at hand, lest Noel thought he was taken--or worse, hetero.

But all of that took a backseat when Noel and Serah traipsed off into the flow of time, only intersecting with Hope's life once every three hundred years or so. This, paired with the power of the Oracle Drive to foresee any potential meetings, has given Hope the tentative freedom to make a virtual boyfriend with little fear of being discovered.

It's been a long day at the Academy headquarters building the Thirteenth Ark and researching Graviton Cores. They've only found three so far—and by "they", he means Noel and Serah. Hope is stripping off his tie as the door to his house whoosh open and a flickery, holographic Noel beams at him.

"Welcome home!"

Hope can't help but smile back as he hangs his tie and his Airwing on two hooks by the doorway. "Thank you," he says softly, unstrapping the belt and accompanying satchels from his waist.

"Let me help you with that." Virtual Noel is sitting on the kitchen counter; he leaps off just as gracefully as the real Noel, but, unlike the real Noel, he follows that up by trotting over to Hope and reaching for his belt.

This is the painful part, the part that deviates from reality. They both know that Virtual Noel can't actually assist with Hope's clothing, but Hope appreciates the offer. He keeps smiling and hangs it up himself alongside his boomerang and tie.

Undeterred, Virtual Noel wraps his arms around Hope from behind and puts his chin on Hope's shoulder. Static crackles in Hope's ear. "How was your day?"

"It was good," he says. Despite being long, his day wasn't bad at all. The team is making good progress. And then, because he can't resist giving into his fantasy like he does every other night, he turns around and stares into Virtual Noel's flashing blue eyes and adds, "I missed you."

Virtual Noel grins. "I missed you too," he says, settling his hands on Hope's waist, and leans down to kiss him.

Hope's lips tingle with electricity. This, he thinks, probably isn't much different from what kissing real Noel would be like. His heart pounds and he sometimes worries he might die from electric shock.

Virtual Noel pulls away and rocks back on his heels, looking mischievous. "So, what's the plan for the day?"

"Let's see what's on the Hologram tonight," he says, regretfully pulling away to flop on the couch. Virtual Noel follows without skipping a beat, snuggling against his side. The static electricity makes Hope's hair frizz.

He has to leave the Holostation game on in order for Virtual Noel to work, but luckily he can still tune into Hologram shows without anything being affected. There's a new episode of Toonberry's Revenge, so they settle in and listen to the opening lines of the theme song together. It's the closest Hope feels to happy these days.

And as long as Noel and Serah are on their journey—as long as Noel belongs somewhere else—he thinks it's as happy as he'll ever be.


End file.
